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The CFFO Commentary: CFFO Convention to Focus on Building Agriculture through Sustainable Profits
By John Clement
October 21, 2011
Farm meetings generally contain a lot of material regarding management techniques or marketing opportunities. But without sustainable profits throughout the entire farming venture, management techniques alone simply won’t keep a farm in the black on the financial ledger.
With that in mind, the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario has chosen“Building a Better Agriculture … through Sustainable Profits” as the theme for its annual Convention. To be held in a little less than a month’s time, the annual event features a speaker’s program that will deliver an overview of how to achieve sustainable profits, focusing on the importance of working with the environment, working with others in the food chain, and doing all the important things right on the farm.
The keynote address will be given by David Sparling, a Professor and the Chair in Agri-Food Innovation and Regulation at the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario. Before joining Ivey, Sparling was a professor at the University of Guelph where he served as an Associate Dean and Executive Director of the Institute of Agri-Food Policy Innovation. Sparling has been president of a farming company, an agribusiness insurance company and a biotechnology start-up. He is actively involved in shaping agri-food industry strategies and government policies.
Dr. John Kelly is currently the Vice-President of Erie Innovation and Commercialization with the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers’ Association. Kelly holds a B.Sc. (Agr). and Ph.D. from the University of Guelph and a Master of Science from the University of Alberta. Throughout his career, he has been focused on innovation development and implementation, actively advancing products and technologies in agriculture, food, biotechnology, pharma and the bioeconomy sectors.
Bryan Gilvesy is the proprietor of the Y U Ranch, an award winning ranch located in Norfolk County, Ontario. Gilvesy is Chair of Norfolk ALUS project, an emerging program that envisions farmers as key environmental solution providers. Gilvesy is a recipient of the 2009 International Texas Longhorn Association Breeder of the Year Award, 2008 Canadian Agri-Food Award of Excellence for Environmental Stewardship, 2007 Premier’s Award For Ag Innovation and the 2006 Toronto Food Policy Council Local Food Hero Award.
Patrick J. Lynch is an independent crop consultant, columnist and speaker, giving advice to growers for 25 years. Lynch is a member of the Ontario Weed Committee, the Ontario Soil Management Research Committee and is part of a research team for the improvement of soil management in Ontario. He is also the recipient of the T.R. Hilliard Award in 1992, the Cargill Innovators Award in 1991 and the OAC Outstanding Service Award.
The banquet speaker is Ann Voskamp, an internationally acclaimed blogger, homeschooling mom of six and columnist with DaySpring. Her blog has garnered numerous awards and has international readership of nearly 6,000 readers a day. Voskamp is also the author of an award-winning geography series for children and is a global advocate for the poor, traveling for Compassion International.
We welcome your attendance and participation at our event. For more information about the CFFO Convention, which will be held on Wednesday, November 16, at the St. George Banquet Hall in Waterloo, please contact our offices at 519-837-1620, or check out the CFFO’s website at wwww.christianfarmers.org.
John Clement is the General Manager of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. The CFFO Commentary represents the opinions of the writer and does not necessarily represent CFFO policy. It can be heard weekly on CKNX Wingham and CFCO Chatham, Ontario, Woostock and Brantford and is also posted on the CFFO website:www.christianfarmers.org/index.html. The CFFO is supported by 4,350 farm families across Ontario.
October 21, 2011
Farm meetings generally contain a lot of material regarding management techniques or marketing opportunities. But without sustainable profits throughout the entire farming venture, management techniques alone simply won’t keep a farm in the black on the financial ledger.
With that in mind, the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario has chosen“Building a Better Agriculture … through Sustainable Profits” as the theme for its annual Convention. To be held in a little less than a month’s time, the annual event features a speaker’s program that will deliver an overview of how to achieve sustainable profits, focusing on the importance of working with the environment, working with others in the food chain, and doing all the important things right on the farm.
The keynote address will be given by David Sparling, a Professor and the Chair in Agri-Food Innovation and Regulation at the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario. Before joining Ivey, Sparling was a professor at the University of Guelph where he served as an Associate Dean and Executive Director of the Institute of Agri-Food Policy Innovation. Sparling has been president of a farming company, an agribusiness insurance company and a biotechnology start-up. He is actively involved in shaping agri-food industry strategies and government policies.
Dr. John Kelly is currently the Vice-President of Erie Innovation and Commercialization with the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers’ Association. Kelly holds a B.Sc. (Agr). and Ph.D. from the University of Guelph and a Master of Science from the University of Alberta. Throughout his career, he has been focused on innovation development and implementation, actively advancing products and technologies in agriculture, food, biotechnology, pharma and the bioeconomy sectors.
Bryan Gilvesy is the proprietor of the Y U Ranch, an award winning ranch located in Norfolk County, Ontario. Gilvesy is Chair of Norfolk ALUS project, an emerging program that envisions farmers as key environmental solution providers. Gilvesy is a recipient of the 2009 International Texas Longhorn Association Breeder of the Year Award, 2008 Canadian Agri-Food Award of Excellence for Environmental Stewardship, 2007 Premier’s Award For Ag Innovation and the 2006 Toronto Food Policy Council Local Food Hero Award.
Patrick J. Lynch is an independent crop consultant, columnist and speaker, giving advice to growers for 25 years. Lynch is a member of the Ontario Weed Committee, the Ontario Soil Management Research Committee and is part of a research team for the improvement of soil management in Ontario. He is also the recipient of the T.R. Hilliard Award in 1992, the Cargill Innovators Award in 1991 and the OAC Outstanding Service Award.
The banquet speaker is Ann Voskamp, an internationally acclaimed blogger, homeschooling mom of six and columnist with DaySpring. Her blog has garnered numerous awards and has international readership of nearly 6,000 readers a day. Voskamp is also the author of an award-winning geography series for children and is a global advocate for the poor, traveling for Compassion International.
We welcome your attendance and participation at our event. For more information about the CFFO Convention, which will be held on Wednesday, November 16, at the St. George Banquet Hall in Waterloo, please contact our offices at 519-837-1620, or check out the CFFO’s website at wwww.christianfarmers.org.
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